Heat-resisting cabinet



' March 4, 1.930. 5, MERRIAM 1,749,222

HEAT RESI STING CABINET Filed Feb. 19, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 4,1930. E. s. MERRIAM HEAT RE SISTI NG CABINET Filed Febfle, '1924 sSheets-Sheet 2- [NPENTOR AJATTORNEKS.

March 4, 1.930. E. s. MERRIAM HEAT RESISTING CABINET Filed Feb. 19, 19243 Sheets-Sheet 3 16 21 TTORNE Y8 Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT] OFFICE,

EDMUND S. MERRIAM, MARIETTA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10REMINGTON RAND INC., 01: NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWAREHEAT-RESISTING CABINET application filed February 19, 1924. Serial No.698,741.

My invention relates to cabinets, light weight safes, and similarcontainers for papers, documents, records or other articles which it isdesired to preserve from fire or 5 excessive heat, and particularly hasreference to articles of the type noted which are so insulated andconstructed as to afford high ;resistance against flame and heat andprevent the penetration of moisture, vapor and gases m to the interiorthereof.

During the course of experimentations I have found that the rigidexclusion of all steam, vapor and other gases from the interior of asafe or cabinet gives it quite unis usual fire-resisting qualities.Therefore, important objects of my invention are to provide means bywhichthe interior walls or surfaces of a safe may be hermeticallysealed, and in which safe provision is made for the rigid exclusion fromthe interior thereof of steam, vapor, gas or other detrimental fluids,and thus to provide for a lower average temperature in the safe underall adverse conditions, avoiding the danger of explosion, and

increasing the possibility of protecting articles which might be damagedby steam or by excessive heat. I

\Vith the foregoing objects in View, my invention consists in the parts,features, elements and combinations thereof, all as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provideddrawings where m:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a safe, cabinet or similar articleconstructed in accordance with one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a safe embodying the features of myinvention shown 4 in Figure 1, the view being on a reduced scale; I

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the safe shown in Figures 1 and 2embodying my invention;

Figure 4 is a detail, horizontal, sectional View, on an enlarged scale,showing a form of construction for sealing the door thereof; Figure 5 isa horizontal, sectional view of one form of the inner sealed lining ofthe safe; and

Figure 6 is a horizontal, sectional view of that portion of the safedoor which cooperates with said inner lining.

Referring particularly to Figure '1 of the drawings, it will be seenthat my safe con sists of three principal parts, viz, an outer casing,an insulating lining, and an inner casing. The door of the safe, orsealing member, consists of three similar parts having the samefunctions, as will be explained. .In the figures of the drawing,particularly Figures 1 and 3, the numeral 1 indicates generally asheet-metal outer casing, including side, to and bottom walls which,inside, are painte coated or lined in any suitable cooperative way withwaterproof or moisture-resisting material 2. The said walls thus treatedare secured together in any convenient, suitable or approved manner soas to render the structure thereof rigid and strong, and at the pointsof juncture said walls are sealed in usual'manner against fire, heat andfluids of all kinds. The said walls, including the inner coating ofwhatever nature, are provided with apertures 3, the same being asnumerous as may be desired. For purposes of illustration, the aperturesmay be provided substantially as shown in the figures of the drawings,and particularly Figure 2.

The safe or cabinet is provided with an insulating lining 4 of plastic,cementitious material, or any similar mixture containing water to adegree such that it may be sufliciently limpid to bepoured orsufiiciently soft to be molded to the desired form. Stress is laid uponthis insulating lining from the fact that when it is set it must beheat-resisting, homogeneous or monolithic in character, comparativelylight, strong and durable and, yet, be capable of allowing the containedor. in- 90 herent moisture, regardless of 'its assumed form in thepresence of heat, to pass out of the mass or be emitted or exudedtherefrom order to remove therefrom so much of the the lining for a safecasing, or (3) may also water as may be desired. Or, the mixture may bepoured into the space between the outer and inner casings, when both areembodied in the safe structure, the said casing being thus used as amold. If the cast is produced as first stated, viz, in a moldindependently of the casing, it may constitute (1) the body of a safe,or (2) said cast may form have combined therewith an inner casing, or(4) may have combined therewith an inner casing only. In'the drawingsthese different forms will be readily understood. Essentials of thisform of my invention are that the casting is a one-piece structure, isformed of plastic material, and is molded to form a hollow, jointless,composite block ready for use as a safe or as a lining for a safe. And,regardless of how the inner surfaces of the .structure are renderedfluid-proof and heatresisting, I intend the term inner casing to becomprehensive of all forms or means for the purpose.

The msulating material 4 has applied to its inner surfaces a casing orcoating of material impervious to fluid, the casing shown being of metalor other heat-resisting material, and which is more or less imperviousto moisture. To makethis casing, of whatever character or material itmay be, impervious to fluids, I paint or coat or otherwise apply to theouter surfaces thereof, or otherwise combine therewith, waterproof ormoistureresisting material 6. The inner casing may be made in anysuitable manner, and, regardless of the manner in which it is made, itis an important feature of my invention that the angles or corners 7thereof shall be hermetically sealed, so as to prevent in ress ofmoisture, vapor, gas or any other'fluid which may be generated by eitherthe chemical'constituents of the safe or by the presence of moisture,heat or both. Instead of having an inner casing, such as shown in thefigures of drawings, the monolithic insulating lining 4 may be coated,painted, saturated, or otherwise provided, on its inner surfaces, with.

some suitable heat-resisting and fluid-proof substance or material. Thisreduces considerably the total weight of the safe; and such weight maybe further reduced by omitting the outer casing, thus leaving the bodyof the safe to consist of the monolithic heat-insulating materialrendered fluid-proof on its inner surfaces by suitable means asdescribed.

As an instance of treatment of the inner surfaces of the monolithicmaterial or structure, in order to render it heat-resisting andfluid-proof, I may forcibly project upon said inner surfaces acementitious'coating, of suitable or ample thickness, composed of sand,cement and water in proper proportions. By forcibly projecting thecementitious substance against the inner surfaces of the monolithicstructure, or the insulatin linmg, the surfaces are penetrated and theinterstices are filled and the surfaces become lazed and hard, thusmaking a dense and u1d-proof coating or surface. The coating thusapplied in great measure becomes homogeneous with the materials of theinner surfaces of the monolith, and gives to the latter and the surfacesthus treated a strong and durable surface which is heat-resisting andimpenetrableto fluids.

Regardless of how the parts of my safe are combined or put together orthe materials of which they are constructed, the important features ofmy invention are that the outer shell or casing, where one is employed,shall be to a certain degree heat-resisting, and that it shall be p'rovied with passages or apertures throu h which moisture and gases, whichmay e generated within the same, or in the insulating lining ormonolithic structure, under any condition of use or in the presence ofexcessive heat, such as a fire, may pass outwardly or be exuded; aninner casing of fire, heat .and fluid-resisting material, which at allangles or points of connection are hermetically sealed; and aninsulating lining of suitable material, which, when final 1y prepared,will be monolithic in character. The characteristics of the insulatinglining are such that moisture, gas or other fluids can be normallyemitted or exuded, or will pass out or off therefrom without providingpassages or apertures for the purpose. The treatment of the innersurfaces of the monolithic structure or insulating lining prevents thefluids from passing to the interior of the .safe; the fluids must passto the outside of the structure and through the apertures of the outercasing if one is used.

Figure 5 shows the inner metal casing with its fluid-proof outer coverinand the corners or angles 7 thereof are s own in-a manner such as toindicate the fact that they are hermetically sealed, regardless of howthe condition is brought about. For the purpose of applying a closure,door or seal to the opening of the safe, cabinet or container, the

front wall structure thereof is provided with angular flanges 8 and .9,which may be of any contour found desirable for the purpose. The door orseal is composed of one or more members 10, as the case may be, treatedin the same manner as the inner casing 5 and having its ends flanged at11 and 12 correspondingly, and for cooperative interaction with theflanges 8 and 9, respectively, of the said inner casing. The said sealor door or closure also has a front sheet 13 treated in a manneridentical with that of the outer casing 1 and provided with perforations14 for the same purposes. The door or seal or closure is hinged in anysuitable manner, as at 15, to one or the other of the flahges 8 or 9 ofthe inner casing and the structure produced, as just noted, isinsulated, as at 16, in the same manner and with the same materials assuggested with reference to the monolithic. structure 4. Any suitableform of lock generally indicated at 17 is provided on the door orclosure to lock the same in any approved manner, the one desideratum inconnection with this look being that the aperture through which the boltor shaft 18 passes shall be sealed against the admission of fluids andheat by a suitable character of shield, such as indicated at 19,Figure 1. In order to seal the juncture between the safe or'cabinetstructure and the door or closure, gaskets 20 of any suitable materialmay be applied in the recesses, grooves, corrugations or otherconformations at the said junctures. The material of these gaskets maybe more or less compressible, flexible or elastic, and heatandmoisture-resisting, in order to provide the proper seal at the junctureswhen the door is closed, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

From the foregoing it will be understood that my safe, cabinet orcontainer, as shown in the drawings, is composed of an inner fluidproofand fireproof or heat-proof casing, which is surrounded by an insulatinglining of monolithic character, which in turn is enclosed or encased byan outer casing provided with a plurality of apertures, and which is toa certain degree heatresisting. The essential characteristic of thiscombination of elements is that the inner casing cannot be penetrated byfluids such as steam or other gases; and that any fluids which may begenerated in the insulating lining in the presence of excessive heat, oras the result of chemical action, shall be prevented from entering theinner chamber of the safe or cabinet through the inner casing, but willbe repelled therefrom and forced to findescape through the apertures ofthe outer casing, or, in the absence of the latter, shall be exuded fromand pass out of the insulating material.

From another aspect, my invention, broadly, contemplates the productionof a monolithic structure adapted to be used as a safe or cabinet, andwhich may be cast, molded or otherwise produced and subsequently treatedin order to render it effective as a safe, cabinet or container, andwhich latter is rendered, on its entire interior surface, impervious tomoisture or gases in any manner whatsoever, as, for example, by thecombination therewith of an inner fluid-resisting casing, or by theproduction thereon of an inner surface, which is impenetrable orimpervious to fluids, applied thereto as a coating or lining in a mannersuch as to render it more or less homogeneous therewith.

Some of the essential'structural features of the invention as abovedescribed may be briefly stated as follows: (1) An outer casing isproduced of any suitable metal or material, and said outer casing isprovided on its inner surface with a coating of fluid-proof material,and said outer casing is provided with apertures or passages throughwhich fluids of any char-- acter may pass.

(2) A lining for the outer casing, monolithic in character, is producedin any suitable way and by any approved method and applied to the outercasing as an insulation therefor. Said monolithic lining may be producedin a mold of the size of the outer casing, or it may be formed or moldedbetween the outer and inner casings, or in the outer casing with help ofan inner frame or mold, the latter to-be removed when the plasticinsulatin material has become properly set.

(3) in inner casing is produced composed of sheet metal or othersuitable material, the angles or corners of which are hermeticallysealed, and this inner casing, on its outer surface, or surface next tothe monolith, may be treated in'any suitable manner to protect it fromcorrosion.

(4) A seal, door. or closure, made similarly to the safe itself, is thenprovided to close the one opening in the safe or cabinet, and such sealor door and the cooperative parts of the inner casing, to which it ishinged, are suitably treated and provided with gaskets in order toproperly seal or close what would otherwise be cracks or vents oropenings between the inner casing and the door or closure.

(5) And the mechanism of the lock passing through the closure or door issealed into the latter by a proper form of heat-resistingfluid-excluding shield or device applied in any suitable manner to theoutside or inside of the door.

(6) Or, alternatively, the outer casing may be omitted, leaving theouter surface of the monolithic structure exposed as the outside of thesafe or cabinet, but without treatment to render it fluid-proof on itsouter surface, since it is a characteristic of this monolithic structurethat whatever of moisture may remain therein or be an inherentcharacteristic thereof shall be capable, when chemically changed in thepresence of heat, of being emitted, exuded or passed out and off of theouter surface thereof.

(7)' Or, instead of a metal inner casing, treated as hereinbeforedescribed, being used, in combination with the monolithic structure, theinner surface of the latter, with or without an outer casing, may betreated so as to render it fluid-proof and heat-resisting; and,

- by thus treating the inner surface of the monolithic structure, thegases, vapors or other fluids generated in the presence of heat the chiccharacteristics of the article produced is thatit cannot produce ordevelo high heat conduction to the interior thereo And the safe as awhole is not affected by temperature and moisture, and the contentsthereof cannot, therefore, be affected in any detrimental manner.-

In the claims following I employ the word fluid in its broad sensemeaning any form of gas such as steam or vapor which may be generated inthe pressure of heat from th insulation or otherwise.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: I

1. A safe, comprising a solid monolithic body having an opening at oneside to a compartment formed therein, an inner lmperforate sheet metalcasing fitted insaid c ompartment in the body, said casing having anoutwardly flared marginal flange at the open end fitting said bodyaround said open end, a perforate sheet metal outer casmg on said body,and a closure for the open end of said compartment, said closure havinga monolithic panel provided on its inner face with a sheet metal platehaving a marginal -flange formed for hermetic sealing cooperation withthe marginal flange on said inner casing in closed position, and aperforate outer metal plate on said panel, said inner casing providing amoisture-proof container in sealed relation, said monolithic bodyproviding a fire resistant and protective enclosure for said innercasing, and said outer caslng providing a protective covering for saidmonolithic body and releasing moisture exuding therefrom.

2. A safe, comprising a solid :monolithic body having an opening at oneside to a compartment formed therein,'an inner imperforate sheet metalcasing fitted in said compartment in the body, said casing having anoutwardly flared marginal flange at the open end fitting said bodyaround said open end, a perforate sheet metal outer casing on said body,a closure for the open end of said compartment, said closure including amonolithic panel provided on its inner face with a sheet metal platehaving a marginal flange for hermetic sealing cooperation with the bodyhaving an opening at one side to a compartment formed therein, an innerimperforate sheet metal casing fitted in said compartment in the body,said casing having an outwardly flared marginal flange at the open endfitting said body around the open end thereof, and a closure for saidcompartment including a monolithic panel and a sheet metal plate appliedto the inner face of said panel aving a 'marginal flange embracing theedges of said panel and formed for hermetic sealing cooperation withthe'flange on said inner casing in closed position, said inner casingproviding a moisture-proof container for its contents, and saidmonolithic body and panel providing a fire resistant and protectivesupport for said inner casing.

' 4. A safe, comprising a solid monolithic body having anopening at oneside to a compartment formed therein, an imperforate liner on said body.in said compartment having a marginal portion around the opening in thebody engaged with the end of said body adjacent said opening, and aclosure for the .said monolithic body and panel with the linersassociated therewith provide a hermetically sealed compartment havingthe fire resistant protection of said monolithic body and panel.

5. A liner for monolithic safe bodies adapted to provide a hermeticallysealed compartment in said body, comprising an imiperforate sheet metalcasing open at one si e, an outwardly flaring flange on the edges ofsaid casing at the open side thereof, and a closure liner having animperforatevsheet metal plate formed to fit the open side of said casingand having a marginal flange formed to engage the flange on said casing,said flanges being formed with complementary interfitting channels andribs having sealin cooperation to hermetically seal the joint etweensaid flanges in the engaged relation thereof.

6. A liner for monolithic safe bodies adapted to provide a hermeticallysealed compartment in said body, comprising an imperforate sheet-metalcasing of substantially rectangular form in cross section having oneopen side, and a marginal flange integral with said casing at the 0 11side and extending laterally and outwar ly fromthe open side of saidcasing, said flange being formed with a plurality of progressivelofi'set portions rovidin alternate channe s m and ribs extendinglong1tudinally thereof.

Signed by me at Monroe, La., this 12th day of February, 1924.

EDMUND S. MERRIAM.

